7.23.2008

Clearly the bane of my entire existence is the eating of carbohydrates. It seems that for every physical and even emotional complaint I have, the answer I get is 'less carbs, no caffeine, and more exercise and protein,' to which I reply "I'm trying, really." The question is, what will I eat if I cut back on those carbohydrates, and which carbs, if any, are allowable in any quantity? The truth of the matter is, the vast majority of my diet is made up of veggies, grains, breads, starches, and legumes; from time to time I blow it out and grill some meat, but in general I just gravitate towards meatless. When eating out, meatless always seems to mean lots of carb or starch with lip service to vegetables, unless you want to eat a salad, and salads are, well, either boring or made very fattening by adding things to distract you from the fact that you're eating lettuce.

So what is there? What is the quick snack that one can grab during the day that is actually 100% healthy? I like to keep fruit and produce around in the fridge, but they tend to take up more room than I feel I'm entitled to take up in the communal work appliance; anything that fits into my desk drawers falls under the headings of 'nonperishable carb,' like pretzels or crackers, or 'highly fatty' like unsalted nuts. So this is my current struggle - I need to find quick-and-easy-style foods that I can have around to snack on throughout the day (I'm also trying to do the mini-meal thing as well as cut back on carbs and sugars). Any suggestions from the peanut gallery?

Well it's beyond a weight thing (other than the fact that since I've been running I've not lost but gained weight). My dr. said that other issues I've been dealing with would lessen or go away if I cut down on sugars, carbs, and caffeine, and upped my protein.

It's frustrating because I DO eat quality food - all whole wheat, fruits and veggies, carrots and nuts as snacks, etc., but it's not really getting me anywhere so something isn't right with how I balance out my intake. We don't keep junk food in the house, nor do I eat it at work, yet I make no real progress. I know that cutting down on the weight would take the strain off my knees, as they are getting a bit sore as the mileage goes up - it's all manageable, but I'd love to give myself as much of an advantage as I can, and to avoid re-injuring myself. le sigh...

About Me

Let's Rock was originally started to keep my friends and family informed about my whereabouts and state of being while I was on a trip to Peru. Once I returned, it kind of lay dormant for quite some time, but recently I realized that I wanted to do some writing from home. Gathered here are my random thoughts, reactions, and musings about whatever strikes me as interesting throughout the day.
A bit about me:
I am the director of a small library and archives in Chicago. I have loads of random hobbies and interests that I am sure will come out at some point during my writing on here. I love to talk about Chicago, my profession, travel, and more - feel free to comment, and I will get back to you eventually.